Patient Safety Communication Priorities Among New Graduate Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify educational priorities for patient safety communication among new graduate nurses using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, secondary analysis involved 142 new graduates from four colleges in South Korea. Participants’ communication competencies were evaluated using a tool based on the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) framework. IPA was used to prioritize four patient safety communication competencies and 28 items by comparing perceived importance with confidence levels. Results: The perceived importance of patient safety communication was significantly higher than confidence across all domains (p < 0.001). Based on the IPA matrix, verbal and non-verbal communication (importance: 4.37, confidence: 3.77) was positioned in Quadrant I (‘keep up the good work’). Communication in high-risk situations (importance: 4.31, confidence: 3.36) was classified in Quadrant II (‘concentrate here’). Written communication (importance: 4.18, confidence: 3.46) and communication technologies (importance: 4.20, confidence: 3.42) were classified in Quadrant III (‘low priority’). Conclusions: To bridge the gap between importance and confidence, it is crucial to identify specific high-risk clinical scenarios and develop educational programs that emphasize practical communication skills. These educational efforts should be strengthened in both undergraduate nursing curricula and nurse residency programs to enhance the clinical readiness of new nurses.